Island



PatentedI N'dv. 8, |898.

.1. E. COSTELLO.

LETTER Box.

(Application filed Aug. 18, 1898.)

(No Mnde'l.)

4I Inventor.

Witnesses Myx/Ma me 'no nms PETERS co. PHoTa-Lrmo. vmsnnwronA n, c.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. COSTELLO, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 613,795, dated November 8, 1898.

Application filed August 18, 1898-` Serial No. 688,902. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN E. COSTELLO, of

Providence, in the county of Providence and' State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter- Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of refer-l ence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the class of letterboxes used in cities to receive letters and papers in Various locations for collection and transmission to the post-office. It is fully explained and illustrated in this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective View of the letter-box. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents the upper part of Fig. 2 with the box closed. Fig. 4 is a separate view of the circular slide.

The object of this invention is to furnish a receptacle for letters and papers that will be simple in its construction and Operation and therefore not likely to get out of order and that can be opened and the letter or paper deposited in it with one hand. tion is as follows:

A is a case, preferably made of metal ina rectangular form. The top of this case is covered by a cap B, made in a horizontal semicylindrical shape and secured to the case II by means of screw-rivets that pass through ears 0 o on the upper edge of the case and the ends of the cap.

A chute to receive the letters is made in the top of the case A, consisting of the two plates d and d', which are attached permanently to the ends of the case inside, or they may be cast integral with the case. This chute is open at its top and bottom and extends above the case A nearly to the top inside the cap B, and the front plate of the case is carried up both at the front and sides to the edge of the plate CZ', so as to close the space between the edge of the case and the chute.

A circular slide O is made, preferably, of sheet-steel rolled into the'cylindrical shape lts construc- A seen in Fig. 4f.Y This circular slide is fitted to go easily in the top of the cap B and is held up in place by projecting ridges c, made on the inside of each end of the cap, and also by like projecting ridges e e, made on the ends inside of the case A. A portion s of the circular slide C is turned out radially at its upper edge, by which the slide is operated and which whenthe slide is in place projects out of the open space left in the front of the cap between 1l z" and which extends the whole width of the case. y

Vhen the letter-box is open for the reception of letters, the slide C is moved around in its place so that the handle s is at the top of the opening in the front of the cap, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and the whole space between and c" and from end to end of the cap is open, affording ample room for putting in let-ters or papers.

When the slide C is moved to open the letter-box, it slides around under the inner end of the chute on the ridge e, (see Fig. 2,) so as to close the inner end of the chute and prevent communication with the case below, the ridges e preventing any forcing of the lower edge of the slide open, and when the letterbox is closed by pulling the handle s down, as in Fig. 3, the front of the case being carried in a little way on the same circle as the cap to allow suflicient motion for the slide, the inner end of the chute is open for the letters and papers to fall into the case below.

A door J is made in one side of the case A for the purpose of taking the letters and papers out when necessary, and it may be fastened with a lock in the usual way. The construction and location of the door are not es- IBO 2. In a 1etter-box the combination of a case upper end when pushed back, substantially having a cap, a stationary chute heldin said as described. 1o cap and attached to it at both ends, a Curved In testimony whereof I have hereunto set plate fitted to slide on curved ridges made on my hand this 16th day of August, A. D. 1808.

5 the inside of said Cap, and adapted to Close JOHN E. COSTELLO.

the upper end of said chute and open the In presence oflower end when drawn forward, and to close BENJ. ARNOLD,

the lower end of said chute, and open the HOWARD E. BARLOW. 

